In a pretty shocking move, WWE announced SmackDown will begin airing live on Tuesdays starting July 19. Along with this news, the company mentioned there will be a draft coming before July 19, giving both RAW and SmackDown their own unique rosters. You know what that sounds like to me? A brand split!
How will WWE handle such a thing? There’s tons of different angles and stories that naturally come from a brand split, but plenty of headaches and confusion as well. What’s next moving forward? Here are our best ideas and guesses:
WWE Brand Split
The most obvious impact of a brand split will be the draft and resulting rosters for both RAW and SmackDown. Probably the most crucial aspect of the draft will be to get a good balance of big-name stars on both rosters. If WWE puts all of the headliners and big draws on RAW, it will continue the notion that SmackDown is a lesser show that isn’t as important.
With the “New Era” that WWE has been pushing for, making a big new star the “head” of SmackDown is a good start. If you want people to tune in to the new live broadcasts, make a top name like Rollins or Ambrose the big dog. This will get people to watch simply to see their favorite star. Then again, bringing back title changes on RAW and SmackDown would also make people watch as well.
As for the pay-per-views, these will become even more of a big event if the RAW and SmackDown rosters don’t wrestle each other regularly. We all love the Owens/Zayn feud right now; imagine if they spent weeks or months of building intensity between the two only using promos. Once the actual match happens, it will feel all the more important and exciting.
One big thing I want to see change about WWE wrestling is the notion that there are tiers of wrestlers. I like the idea that at any given time, any wrestler can beat any other wrestler. It makes the entire roster look stronger, and makes matches much more unpredictable. These wrestlers are all supposed to be incredibly strong, and seeing certain (*cough* WYATTS *cough*) wrestlers lose time and again takes away from the mystique.
Belts
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: WWE needs more title belts! With a brand split likely coming, and the great new talent coming up from NXT or returning from injury, it’s the perfect time to do so. I see this happening in one of two ways:
The first way involves the creation of two belts to be the top prize for either RAW or SmackDown. The RAW Champion and SD Champion then become primed for the #1 contender spot to the overall top prize: The World Heavyweight Championship. Lower-card wrestlers will be able to compete to be their show’s champion, while the main event scene is filled with guys going for the big award.
The second option would instead see the Intercontinental belt and the U.S. belt get elevated to the top prizes for each show. This would work out just like my first plan, with the top belt holders going after the Heavyweight championship. The problem with this plan is it eliminates the belts for mid- and low-card wrestlers to go after.
Announcers
The announcer teams as of right now are Cole, JBL and Byron on RAW, and Ranallo, Lawler and Byron on SmackDown. With the push to go live, I doubt WWE would include Byron on both announcement teams. If given the choice, I’m sure Byron would rather go to RAW, so who could be coming to join SmackDown?
The obvious choice would be to bring back an announcer that has already worked with WWE. This makes Booker T an attractive choice, especially if WWE wants to continue the Face/Heel/Color commentary combo. If there were to be a character update, Corey Graves could turn face and get behind the table with a heel Lawler.
If WWE wants to really change the game up, they could hire a woman as a new announcer. Renee Young has expressed interest in being an announcer, and this would be a great time to give her a shot.
Authority
As much as it pains me to think about it, the Authority will also be playing a big role in the split. It seems Shane and Stephanie are getting primed to have a falling out, with one taking RAW and the other taking SmackDown. Stephanie has been the head of RAW for a long time, so it could be time for Shane to take the reigns now.
I highly doubt we’ll be seeing any new GMs for RAW or SmackDown without a last name of McMahon. The only one with a slight chance of getting power would be HHH, but he seems pretty comfortable down at NXT. Basically, don’t hold your breath for a return of Teddy Long.
So what do you think? How will WWE handle itself moving forward with the draft? Who will be in control of RAW and SmackDown? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
